Doug Fields Calls Church Leaders to Move Others Into the Spotlight (Orange 2011)

Photo from whatisorange.org

Doug Fields has a new idea for leadership. He explains that a new perspective is often needed to see clearly. Perspective is a powerful tool in the life of a leader. Doug’s recent change of career helped him see his life from a different perspective.

He realized that those in the church are often not good at developing more leaders. Self-preservation types of leaders do not value the importance of other leaders. We don’t have to work at getting older. We have to work at getting younger, and raising up a new generation of leaders. If we don’t, our vision, values, and messages are going to die with us. Many are in denial, though, which actually is a much easier place to live. Doug stated that he does not know all the reasons that help get a leader to the point of self-preservation, but he knows there is a way out.

Doug’s suggestion for a new type of leadership is “The Spotlight Leader.” This is a leader who puts others in the spotlight. Everyday in our leadership, we all have a choice. We either push people into the spotlight or out of the spotlight. We need to place others where they can shine and succeed.

3 General Aspects of a Spotlight Leader:

A spotlight leader is secure. He or she understands leadership development enough to get out of the way, even at his or her own expense. Depth of insecurity is hurting leadership in the church. Leaders need to be secure enough to let others succeed in leadership.

A spotlight leader searches. Dedicated searches into the lives of other people helps to find the leadership within those people. People are around us, waiting to be discovered, used, and trained. They don’t want to hide anymore. If they do, their leadership will eventually die out. We cannot let that happen.

A spotlight leader is a servant. This side of eternity, servants are hardly ever recognized. Servant-leadership is not a new idea. The problem is that it can turn into self-service. We need to be more like Jesus. He was completely selfless in His leadership. When lead like that, you have the ability to change a life and that person’s family.

In essence, Doug explains, spotlight leaders love people, and they see how all of them fit within God’s Kingdom. When we serve as spotlight leaders, everybody wins.

Even though it is counter-cultural, that is the type of leader I want to be. The times where I have done that, I have experienced something far greater than I ever do when I am in the spotlight.

———————–Doug has been a respected youth ministry leader for over two decades. He has authored or coauthored more than 50 books, including Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry and Help! I’m a Student Leader. With a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, Doug is the founder of SimplyYouthMinistry.com, a frequent presenter at Youth Specialties events, and a youth pastor for 29 years.